Digital subscriber line (DSL) technology is commonly utilized to provide internet-related services to subscribers, such as, for example, homes and/or businesses (also referred to herein as users and/or customers). DSL technology enables customers to use telephone lines (e.g., ordinary twisted-pair copper telephone lines used to provide Plain Old Telephone System (POTS) services) to connect the customers to, for example, a high data rate broadband Internet network, broadband service and/or broadband content.
A service provider of a DSL service can use information such as loop length, cable gauge(s), presence of bridged tap(s), location of bridged tap(s), lengths of bridged tap(s), noise on the line, shorts, opens, etc. for trouble detection, trouble isolation and/or trouble prevention. Alternatively or additionally, it may be useful to have similar information concerning the telephone line before DSL service is offered, sold and/or provisioned to a potential DSL subscriber, from the service provider's location to the subscriber's location. Information such as that mentioned above is measured for the telephone line between the service provider's location and the subscriber's location. However, line testing equipment is typically located at a service provider's location and thus this information is typically available from the service provider's location and not from the subscriber's location.